Day of hearts
by IWriteSinsNoTragedies
Summary: For some Valentines Day is a day of love and romance, for Marlene it was a day of bitter loneliness. That is, until a certain penguin showed up.


**AN**: Wow, this is late, but I couldn't wait a year to post this. So, anyway in "Otter things have happened," Marlene proclaimed that she wasn't lonely; she was perfectly happy being single. Now, surely she would feel left out on a day where everyone is a couple- as most single people do. So enjoy, and don't forget to favourite and review :)

**Disclaimer: I don't own Penguins of Madagascar**

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"I loved you yesterday, I love you still. I always have...I always will"

A smile formed on King Julien's face as he stared back at his reflection through the mirror he held in his hand.

"King Julien, will you be my valentine?" Shifting to his left he smiled back a goofy grin, whilst running his finger down the reflective surface.

"Do you even have to ask?"

"I love you, and I love you and you and definitely love you," Mort chimed from below, touching each of the self proclaimed King of the lemur's toes.

"Eh Mort, what did I tell you?" Julien groaned upon noticing the small bushy tailed lemur embracing his foot.

"No touching the royal feet!"

Marlene chuckled softly from her perch aloft the ledge of her rock cave. Snow swept through the air, swirling with the wind as flakes danced around her surroundings.

All around her everyone had some one special; wether it be themselves or even feet. Even the ones who didn't had their children or friends. No one had asked her to be their valentine.

It was the same every year; everyone would have someone to love and hold and she was always left alone, secluded in her rock cave watching the all of the Zoosters happiness bitterly. The otter adjusted her green scarf to better protect her from the cold, and sighed as she watched the fluffy powder drift down from above. She really couldn't stand this holiday. What was the point of creating a day all about love and friendship if others were simply just left out? It was cruel and unfair.

She looked up at the sun breaking through the cloud barrier as its ray's shone over New York City, illuminating the crystal layers of white covering the landscape. Marlene frowned, she still had more than half the day to suffer through. Just once in her life she wanted to be thought of, even a simple " Happy Valentines Day, Marlene" would suffice.

But everyone was too busy with their soul mates to even acknowledge her existence.

"Happy Valentines Day," she turned towards the penguin exhibit. Rico handed his girlfriend Miss Perky a bouquet of fake plastic roses from his position atop the faux iceberg.

Marlene's paws balled into fists; her claws piercing the flesh. Her eyebrows knit together with anger, even dolls found love why was she unthought of?! Did anyone ever just stop once to think about how she was feeling? How the loneliness tore her up inside, and ate at her very heart and soul?

Of course not.

Too focused on all the hearts, flowers and chocolates. She didn't care about not having some one to call her own, what bothered her was that no one did anything for her, even as a friendly gesture.

"Marlene?"

The otter jumped at the sound of her name. She slowly turned to her left to see a small flat headed penguin standing beside her, Skipper.

"I didn't see you there," she rasped.

Skipper frowned, his eyebrows creased in concern. "Is everything okay? Did anyone hurt you? Cause I'll knock them into next week if they did."

Marlene couldn't help but crack a small smile, somehow Skipper always knew how to help her feel better. "I'm surprised you noticed me," she whispered, her smile faded.

"No one else has"

Skipper shrugged nonchalantly. "What do you expect. It's the day of hearts, pretty sickening if you ask me, Doll Face. Love is for the weak minded; an emotion so strong it can destroy you in the field of battle. That's why we commandos stay out of it; we need to be sharp and on our toes, not caught up in the affairs of love. Just ask Kowalski with Doris the dolphin, he weeped over her for weeks."

Marlene remained silent as he continued. "The only good thing about today is that it gives us a day off; with everyone preoccupied there's no crime or anyone in need of assistance."

"I guess you're used to be being ignored," she said softly.

"Nah, not really. Private always gives me a card. I can't destroy innocence, so I just humour the boy."

She huffed, and folded her arms over her chest. "Why am I the only one who is left out on this stupid holiday!? Have I done anything wrong? Do the others just not like me?" Her last sentence ended in a squeak as she hid her face in her paws, warm salty tears trailing through her slick fur.

Skipper gently pulled her arms away. He looked into her hazel eyes. "I can assure you that's not the case, what's not to like about you? You're caring and kind, you love life and are very intelligent for a mammal."

"Then why am I left alone?" She trembled.

Skipper's beak lifted into a smile. Tenderly, he curved his flipper around her shoulders. "look in front of you, you're not alone. I'd rather spend this mushy day with you than with any of those hopeless romantics."

A small smile lit up her face. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

"I know how you feel, we all know my failed relationship with Lola. She was a glorified hunk of wood, and I fell head over heels for her. I really do question my sanity from back then, and that was only a number of years ago."

"You were in love," Marlene defended.

"Not really, all of those years without someone in my life made me lonely, and I admit a tad psychotic. So, I went for the first girl I saw, a bobble head."

Underneath his feathers he could feel his cheeks burning with embarrassment, he slapped a flipper to his forehead. "I even married the doll, fish and chips what was I thinking?!"

Marlene cupped a paw around her mouth to stifle a giggle. "It's okay, Skipper, remember my relationship with Fred?"

"How could I forget? that squirrel was dumber than a sack of hammers- worse than Ringtail, and I never thought it was possible to get more idiotic than that! Then again, what did I expect? He was a mammal."

"Watch it," Marlene cautioned with a scowl. "I can still go feral on you."

Skipper laughed slightly. "How can anyone ignore you?"

"Be my valentine!" the two turned their attention to young Eggy, whom was giving a paper heart to his sister.

Marlene turned her head down. "On this day they do," she mumbled dejectedly.

"Hey, guys," Private smiled as he waddled up to the two. "Happy-"

Skipper held up his flipper, silencing his greeting. "Just don't."

Private's smile dissipated into a frown. "What's going on?"

"It's a little late for a greeting now," Marlene huffed.

"Marlene's just feeling left out, that's all," Skipper explained to the young cadet.

"How could anyone feel left out on a day like today? It's filled with love and romance..."

"Aw, what is love?" Kowalski interjected sliding up to join the conversation. Skipper rolled his eyes, knowing just where this was going.

"We call it love. It feels like love. But the most exhilarating of all emotions is probably nature's beautiful way of keeping species alive and reproducing. With an irresistible cocktail of chemicals, our brain entices us to fall in love. We believe we're choosing a partner. But we may merely be the happy victims of nature's lovely plan-"

"Kowalski!" Skipper groaned. "Put another quarter in the show off jar. Heck, for that outburst, make it a dollar."

Kowalski grumbled bitterly, flipping a coin into the jar a bashful Private held.

"The point is: you don't need someone special in your life, that's what you've been trying to tell us, and I'm sorry we forced you to go out with that wing nut."

Marlene cradled her head in her paws. "No, Skipper, you were right, I am lonely. You have your brothers, Julien has Mort and Maurice, Mason has Phil, but I'm the only otter here...I'm all alone, and this day only makes that fact more real."

Skipper placed his flipper over her paw, he pulled her arm away, gently tilting her chin up with his other flipper. "You're not alone, you got us and we have each other. It doesn't matter if anyone acknowledges your existence. No penguin...or animal is left behind."

"What about Manfredi and Johnson?" Private queried.

Skipper sighed, facing the young cadet. "Private, not this again."

"Sorry, Sir, I'll do it myself," Private slapped his flipper across his beak. He winced, rubbing his smarting cheek.

"But yes, let's not forget what happened when they fell hard for those chinstrap sisters; they lost their hearts and fifteen feet of intestine. Now, we don't want a repeat of that, Men."

"Right, Skippah, we all know love isn't your forte," Private commented.

"Uh, Guys, back to me," Marlene broke in.

"Guys!" Maurice panicked, stumbling towards the five. "King Julien kicked Mort all the way out of the zoo!"

"Well, so much for a day off," Skipper turned to his unit. "Alright, Men, move out! Sad Eyes has gone AWOL!"

"Wait, what about me?!" Marlene stuttered as the four raced into action, following the plump lemur. She sighed, alone again. She was about to turn her gaze back to the drifting snow, when something caught her eye. Her hazel eyes darted to the ground where a small slip of paper lay embedded in the powder. Gently dusting it off, she unfolded the soggy material, it was a note.

"Happy Valentines Day Marlene! Since you don't have anyone, may I be your valentine, Doll face?"

It didn't say who it was from, but she knew. Marlene smiled, and held it close. It was the first time she had ever been acknowledged. Maybe this holiday wasn't as bad as she thought. She looked back at the note with a small smile.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Skipper."

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**AN: **Aww, don't you just love Skilene? Until next time :)


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